Bitter Sweet Dreams
by Molten-Ashes
Summary: Watch the sky for me, a flash of light in the deepest darkness of space, so that I may bring you back to me once more...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

Please R&R

(Inspired by a picture on Deviantart of Jazz and Prowl called 'Sweet Dreams Prowler'. I saw it and this has been mulling around in my brain for a while and I finally pulled it together and actually wrote it. Hope you like it!)

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The sky was clear.

Stars glittered like flickering torches hung in the inky blackness of space.

A mech stood on a ridge just outside of his base gazing up at the twinkling lights that were like tiny sparks ready to be plucked from the curtain of night and placed in a newborn frame.

"We'll have to leave soon, or the window of opportunity will close" said another mech nearly twice the bot on the ridge's size stepped up behind him

"I know" came the soft sigh of intakes, azure visor staring, fixated onto the brightest star in the sky "When is Ratchet going to send them up?"

"The end of this orn. The Protectobots will be there to guard them" came the deep rumble from the Prime hands on his hip-plates "It'll be alright Jazz"

"We shouldn't be leaving them" the silver saboteur retorted "I didn't even agree to send him up"

"Sideswipe agreed and Ratchet himself approved" assured the larger Cybertronian softly "Ratchet does not have the resources or the time to repair them"

"Then let Megatron rot among the stars" declared the silver mech finally turning his furious blue gaze to that of his leaders "Let us repair and re-group"

"Megatron's troops will follow him Jazz. We need to get the Allspark before he does. This plan has not left us much time…" Optimus soothed softly "If we get back the Allspark we can repair them to what they once were"

"Ratchet blocked our bond" Jazz said kicking the ground "I don't like it"

"He had to silence his own and Sideswipe's as well" a black mech said materialising out of the gloom of night "they aren't enjoying it either kid"

Jazz gave a huff of his intakes before stomping back into the base, clearly agitated.

"They aren't happy about it Prime" the black armoured mech warned "Is it really a good idea to be doing this?"

"It will preserve them Ironhide" Optimus said looking down at his friend his face-plates contorted in sorrow "And I am unwilling to lose more of our friends"

"Let's just hope this goes according to plan" Ironhide grumbled whirling his cannons

**-Jazz POV-**

Jazz passed mechs he had served with for vorns in the corridor, giving a half hearted wave to Cliffjumper as he helped the recuperating Bumblebee into the Rec-room followed by most of the younger bots like the Arcee triplets and the annoying set of smaller twins.

He inclined his head to Noble mech, Mirage who was standing chatting to Hound, just outside of the Scout's quarters.

He entered the medbay quietly, spotting Ratchet at his desk swirling a cube of the last batch of high grade energon dejectedly "Not the same without Wheeljack rattling your cage about it, is it?" he asked making the mech jump to his pedes, iconic wrench in hand, the concentrated High grade tipping over; the contents spilling out of the cube pooling on the desk and then dribbling to the floor, a morbid mockery of the mech-fluids that was often scattered across the battlefields.

"Jazz" the Medic growled as he pulled out a rag to clean up the mess "I told you to go recharge"

The silver saboteur gave him a flat look making the medic sigh "Fine. You know where he is"

The TIC inclined his helm and strode off to the ICU chambers, passing other mechs that were still resting from their repairs. The door hissed as it reeled open revealing a dim room, illuminated an eerie blue by the lights within the ICU pods that lined the walls. The pods standing on end so that the mech suspended in them looked as if they were standing.

Three were currently in use. The screens that were wired into the wall giving off small whirrs and beeps as they kept the mechs inside alive; repair bots scrambling over the damaged frames, making odd little bubbles in the fluid that kept the mechs inside suspended.

The first contained a golden mech, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe's temperamental twin. The mech's face was framed by two exotic looking golden fins; the faceplate was serenely calm, though they looked unusual without the usual scowl that normally adorned it. A soft chirr made Jazz smile as he saw Sideswipe himself recharging in a spare chair, sitting back to front, the tips swordsmech's helm leaning against the clear view front of the ICU pod as it was supported on the back rest of the chair by Sideswipe's arms. The Head of Special Ops smiled warmly at the scene and picked up a thermal blanket that had obviously fallen off of the Swordsmech a while ago and replaced it on the silver twin before continuing on his way.

The Second pod had no visitor. It contained an odd lanky looking mech with colour indicators on either side of his helm; a blast mask covered the lower half of his faceplates from view. Wheeljack, Ratchet's Bondmate and Prime's Head Engineer, the reason that Ratchet was at his desk drinking the last of his rare, strong High Grade from the Golden Age to drown his sorrow before the mission that would take them into deep space to search for the Allspark.

In the Third was the mech he had come to see. A tall mostly white mech with scraps of ruby on his chest with gold and black scattered across his frame. A ruby chevron fractionally splintered off at one edge lanced upwards from his forehead crowning the once stoic features. Two elegant doorwings were spread from behind, on either side of the suspended mech's shoulders crawling with nano-bots that worked furiously to repair them.

"Hiya Prowl" Jazz whispered placing a four fingered servo on the view front "You gotta long journey ahead of ya. Optimus was talking with us at the Officer meeting about where the shuttle will go. You'll be pulling into orbit around some uncharted planet far away from here. As long as you're safe at the end of it mech, that'll be enough for me" The saboteur smiled softly "Bluestreak is going along as well, First Aid is still repairing him and the other medics aren't used to repairing Praxians. Another few mechs are going to as we still have a few with serious injuries thanks to the blast. So you'll be in good company when you wake up"

Jazz sighed and pulled over the chair that Ratchet had put out for him and carefully sat down so that he didn't awake the Swordsmech still recharging a few feet away. "Even though Ratchet had to block our bond to keep me in working order, you know I still love ya. I hope." Explained the Saboteur softly caressing the glass view front "Ratchet says we don't have time to do the intricate repairs the three of you need before our window of opportunity closes, and First Aid isn't experienced enough to perform the operation. So you are going to have to sleep for a few vorns until the ICU pods de-slag you, either that or we manage to find the Allspark before Megatron and we meet up with the shuttle that'll be keeping you and the others out of harm's way. Then I don't have to wait so long to get you back…"

Jazz offlined his optics and his hand became a fist upon the glass shielding him from his mate, his face-pates twisting into a grimace of grief. "Damn the Decepticons… damn that bomb... and damn you three for trying to deactivate it."

Pushing away from his chair Jazz pressed two fingers to his lip-plates and then gently touched the glass view front of the pod over Prowl's own face "I... I'm sorry...Sweet dreams Prowler"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

Please R&R!

(Enjoy!)

* * *

_**-Four Orns ago-**_

"You really need to stop worrying Jazz" Prowl said as he read over a data-pad that was finalising the details for the shuttle to launch the Allspark team into space. "Everything has been running smoothly"

"That's what's got me twitchy mech" Jazz protested as he sat reclined in Prowl's office guest chair two of the chair's legs suspended in the air as the saboteur's pedes rested on the desk. "It's been too quiet since Megatron took off after that hunk of scrap."

"That hunk of scrap nearly cost Bumblebee his life to jettison into space" Prowl softly reprimanded poking Jazz's pedes with his stylus "Pedes off the desk please"

"Aww come on Prowler!" Jazz whined doing as he was told his chair slamming down onto all fours again "let's go get some energon in the rec-room and celebrate Bumblebee's survival."

The Tactician chuckled throwing him a rare smile as he piled his data-pads into a neat stack in his 'out box' "You have an uncanny ability to make things seem less serious than they are Jazz"

"That's ma speciality Prowler!" Jazz grinned back as his bondmate gave him an affectionate nudge through their sensitive bond.

An azure visor flashed in amusement as the doorwinged mech gave an exaggerated bow and threw his arm out "Gentle-mechs and general annoyances first"

A silver glossa stuck out between silver lip-plates had the SIC chuckling again as the TIC graciously took his offer and marched out of the door.

They joined a spare table in the rec-room along with Wheeljack and a grumpy looking Ratchet both having been convinced to take a break from Perceptor and First Aid respectively. "What's up mech?" Jazz asked curiously to the CMO as Prowl went to get them some energon.

"Twins" the head engineer said cheerfully, his colour indicators flashing merrily, patting his annoyed bondmate on the shoulder "They found his last stash of good High Grade and have scattered it all over the base."

"Another report will be on my desk by the time I get back no doubt" Prowl sighed through his intakes as he sat down, nudging Jazz's cube towards him.

"Afraid so Prowl" Wheeljack said the edges of his optics crinkling as if he were smiling under his blast mask. "Ratch' clocked them good"

"Score?" Jazz asked with a smile

"Oh, easily a nine" Wheeljack said waving a servo as if to discard any objections

"Wow that impressive huh?"

"It's all in the wrist" Ratchet said with a smug grin as Prowl hid his own smile by taking a swig from his energon. "Anyway, I am enjoying my time-off. It's been very quiet around here since Megatron went after the Allspark. Starscream obviously isn't in a hurry to retrieve him anytime soon"

"Don't free up to much of that schedule of yours Ratchet" Prowl said "Optimus has given me the final team list and specifications to go after the Allspark. We move out in six orns"

"Way to dampen the mood Prowl" Sideswipe grinned cheekily popping up behind the tactician with a cheery wave, his golden twin sitting heavily into a vacant seat with a half-hearted grunt of a greeting

"And you two aren't still concussed how?" Ratchet growled as the silver twin plonked down beside him

"Because Sunny and me have very hard helms" Sideswipe declared tapping his twin on the helm with a fist making the golden twin growl

"Don't do that Sides, I just got my finish the way I like it!" the gold front line warrior snapped batting his twins hand away from him.

As if tempted by fate, the base alarms roared into life.

"Slag it" the table of mechs cursed

Prowl leapt up in sync with Jazz both barking out orders to the mechs that had paused in surprise "Battle stations!" Prowl demanded sharply as most of the bots scrambled for the door. "Jazz with me!"

Both SIC and TIC jogged towards the war room meeting Optimus on the way. "Sit Rep!" Prowl barked as they arrived, some junior tacticians crowded around a holographic war simulator clearing their practice session and giving way to the Prime and his group.

"Infiltration in the ventilation system on corridor seven" Red Alert called sounding slightly panicky from his bank of monitors "Ravage, he's got something in his jaws"

"Slag" Ironhide cursed as Optimus began to rattle off orders "Jazz take corridor eight with Sideswipe and help Ratchet protect the Medbay. It's likely he might be trying to eliminate the injured bots. Prowl you take Wheeljack and Sunstreaker to guard the Power Generator. All Autobots are to shoot Ravage on sight."

"Aye Sir!" the bots saluted before rushing off to do their tasks.

_**-Power Generator Room—**_

Sunstreaker paced restlessly as Wheeljack checked all over the power core, his fingers flying over different keys that brought up everything from energy output to when the radioactive cell needed to be replaced. Prowl was watching from the doors to the Generator room his acid pellet rifle held tightly in his hand.

"No anomalies Prowl" Wheeljack said as the key board and screen retreated back into the last generator "All clear in every one of them, except number two. I'll need to notify the repair drones that we need to change the R-Cell."

Suddenly the door hissed closed making Prowl jump backwards to prevent himself for getting stuck in the door his acid pellet gun falling from his grasp and into the abandoned corridor. "Prime, emergency shutdown has been engaged!" Prowl called into the comm. on the wall, it buzzed with static "Prime!"

"It's that old cell. It just died" Wheeljack said with a frown "It has stopped supplying the corridor with power. As a Safety feature all doors shut down"

Sunstreaker's faceplate twisted into a similar frown as he gazed over the dark interior of the room lit only by the red lights that glowed along the floor around the generators. "My codes are not working and my gun is now in the corridor. We are going to be stuck in here until Red Alert realises we are here" He heard Prowl tell Wheeljack as he moved off to have a look at something sitting in the far corner.

"Uh… Guys?"

Prowl's gold optics turned towards him as did Wheeljack's neon blue ones in curiosity. "I Just found out what Ravage was carrying" he said as he pulled the tarp from the object in the corner.

"Primus… It's an ion bomb…" Wheeljack gasped, the silver box showing the screen had just started its fatal countdown.

Prowl was back on the comm. in a flash "We found what Ravage was carrying. It's an Ion bomb!" more static answered him "Slag it! Is anybody getting this?"

"Wheeljack!" Sunstreaker growled his optics widening "Shut it down!"

"It's delicate!" Wheeljack snapped back, kneeling beside the contraption dragging a screwdriver like device from his subspace and with a few twists Wheeljack tossed the top of the device away with a casual flick of his wrist, delving into the innards of the device, Sunstreaker hovering nervously beside him.

"How much longer Wheeljack?" Prowl asked cautiously

"A three breems at most" Wheeljack said his colour indicators flashing a dim blue

"Oh, fantastic" Sunstreaker raved "Because according to this we have exactly two breems until we are doing a nice impression of a collage across the walls!"

"I said at most" the Chief Engineer growled back as he mentally followed some of the wires "One wrong wire disconnected and even Swindle will have a hard time selling our remains"

"How can we get the word out?" Prowl asked to himself pausing as the wall comm. hissed static back at him again. "Jazz…" he whispered to himself

_Jazz!_ He cried reaching through their bond

_Prowler! _Jazz called back clearly relieved _We saw off Ravage, Steeljaw caught up with him as he was leaving._

_Jazz we have a problem…_ Prowl winced as he heard Wheeljack curse as he pulled a wrong wire and the countdown shifted to half a breem. _We found an Ion bomb and Wheeljack is trying to deactivate it. We are locked in the Generator room thanks to a sudden shutdown. _

Prowl recoiled as his mate's half of the bond became laced in panic "Wheeljack!" he snapped as the engineer moved away from the bomb looking distraught

"I can't do it, the wires are all back-crossed to the trigger that it sets it off" the Engineer muttered as he leaned against one of the Generators "But I can protect the Generators."

The gold twin winced clearly having told his brother of the situation "Well, we're slagged…"

"Protect the Generators Wheeljack" Prowl said in resignation as the engineer typed on the main hub screen powering up the powerful shields designed for such a purpose.

As the Generators became shrouded in what appeared to a pale silver screen of energy clinging to the valuable power columns like a second skin, virtually impenetrable, Wheeljack and Sunstreaker converged by the locked door where Prowl stood leaning against it.

"Mechs" Wheelack said softly as the bomb whittled down to its last seconds "It's been an honour" He then gave a soft chuckle "I don't think Ratchet will able to patch me up after _this_ explosion."

Sunstreaker folded his arms across his chest a scowl crossing his faceplate "Never did finish that painting of Iacon… Slag…"

"I'm honoured to have worked with you all" Prowl sighed inclining his helm to the mechs who inclined their helms in return _Sorry Jazz_

The world exploded in white.

_**-Jazz POV—**_

Running down the corridor full tilt the silver mech stumbled as the whole base shuddered, comm. links springing into life as groups on corridors around the Generators were suddenly pinned or hit by shrapnel and large slabs of wall.

"Prowl!"He shrieked falling to his knees as pain flared wildly across his precious bond, Sideswipe also falling flat onto his front as agony took hold at the sudden pain that his twin was in

"Sunny! Sunny please!" he vaguely heard the silver twin beg, clawed hands scrabbling at the floor "Don't leave me"

"Prowl" he chanted over and over to himself as his world tilted, his upper body falling to the floor as the world seemed to slow, mechs pedes falling around him. Inferno putting out a blaze not far from him, Ironhide digging through the rubble with other uninjured mechs as strong servos lifted him.

"Jazz!" he heard Optimus rumble at him worry glittering in his seemingly over bright optics giving the small mech a soft shake to get his waning attention "Jazz!"

"Prowl…" the saboteur whispered as darkness widened across his vision and he dropped offline in his leader's grasp.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers!

Please R&R

(You might need tissues? Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and faved! Hope you like this new chapter!)

* * *

_**-Jazz-**_

The dreams had started.

The dreams where Prowl would be sitting on a bank of the energon stream running through the Crystal Gardens of Praxus, watching younglings and parents go about their day. The gold optics would turn to him in secret delight, delight that Jazz could share with him in the simple beauty of everyday Cybertronian life. They would share a kiss and hold servos.

Another would be when they were sitting with Bluestreak at a table in the Rec Room, the younger bot talking their audios off as they would smile and laugh at the tales the grey Praxian spun. They would be interrupted by Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's prank victim and Prowl would roll his optics in the particular manner that showed he was more exasperated and amused than angry. He would make his excuses and leave with a polite smile.

Nightmares occurred too.

A crushing world of white, red and orange flames, charred rubble and scorched armour plating scattered in the dust of what was once a glorious park. Prowl would stand in the falling ash and smoke, the flames trying to lick at his ankle and calf plating as the tactician held the broken body of a sparkling in his arms, energon tears staining the body's little face and a scream would rise in a broken wail as one of the last Praxians fell to his knees, wings raised in horrific grief, in the ruins of the Crystal Gardens clutching the body of the young spark that had just extinguished in his arms. Jazz would rush over to offer his bondmate his love and reassurance only to slip right through the mech and topple into the blinding white.

Flames were often an occurrence in his recharge, a variety of colours separating him from his bondmate who would stare across the void before being consumed.

He told no one of the images that haunted him, watching with fond amusement as Ratchet grumpily went about his repairing of Bumblebee's vocaliser, the young bot desperately avoiding the grouchy medic; though even he could see the tortured look in Ratchet's optics as he would pause and wait after a specific action for Wheeljack's usual wise crack or just the general murmurs of mental equations running through a once strong and stable bond.

Sideswipe was no better. He would be in the ship's firing range practicing his sword stances or generally just beating the drones within a centimetre of being useless afterwards.

Jazz watched their friends skirt around them more, other crew members ceasing to talk and stare at them in pity as one of them walked past. He wanted to scream at them. Tell them to stop looking at him with pity. He didn't need it. He just needed to find the Allspark. Then he could go back to his happily ever after, just as he had promised Prowl all those vorns ago on their bonding night.

Ratchet said he needed an outlet for his grief and anger or he would go mad. Ha, madness. He was already slightly unhinged being a Saboteur anyway. His world became darkness' friend when he received the proper upgrades and programming. Ha, madness indeed.

_**-Ratchet-**_

Skids and Mudflap were testing his patience again. The minor Twins were squabbling over who had to help the most with the inventory in the medbay after a not so innocent prank that had Ironhide splattered in red paint.

The black mech had been furious, mourning the disgraced mess of his precious black cannons. Jazz hadn't exactly helped, having been watching the whole set up and execution of the prank from his silent corner in the Rec Room.

Ratchet couldn't blame him really. Though Jazz plastered on smiles and a cheery façade bots still avoided him. The silver mechs humour had taken a nose dive and if someone was able to approach him without shuddering under his blank gaze and offer a joke, they would get half mumbled chuckles, clearly fake in its design and he would wander off.

He finished polishing his tools with a sigh and turned on the smaller Twins "You two get lost, I'll do it myself"

Both gave him an odd look but didn't argue with him and scarpered from the room.

The medic sighed sitting on a berth and hunching his shoulders, optics on his hands.

"What's the matter Ratch'?" Jazz's voice made him jump, blue optics snapping up to watch as the smaller mech slinked into the medbay his guard lowered around someone who was experiencing the same pain as he was.

"Is that a trick question?" the CMO replied with a frown clenching his fists "What isn't the matter should be the question"

"Just asking mech" Jazz said softly casting his gaze out of a port side window. Space rolled by, whisps of coloured space dust and the boiling stars hung in a liquid sea of darkness. "I think Wheeljack would've got a kick out of this expedition."

"Yeah, I take it you found the list Prowl had written for the mechs and femmes to come on the shuttle then?" Ratchet asked watching Jazz almost wearily as the Saboteur placed a servo on the reinforced glass almost as if he was trying to touch the stars themselves.

"I'm a Saboteur remember?" Jazz said "I sneak around, I hack things, general job description. Anyway, I think Optimus kept the list because he knows Prowl would never put anyone down that he didn't think would be of any use."

"I think Prime was being sentimental as well" Ratchet said "I was at the officer meeting while you went AWOL for two orns. He hardly changed Prowl's suggestions at all."

"Where do you think they are now?" Jazz suddenly asked his visor trained on some distant star.

"Red Alert said he found something about a Horse Head nebula somewhere vorns from any Cybertronian outpost neutral or faction wise. It has a distant sun that they can get energon from as well and I made sure First Aid had nearly half of the spare parts that I had in the Iacon storage." Ratchet explained "They will be safe Jazz. Be calm"

"What's a horse?" Jazz asked in surprised confusion a flicker of his old self returning before it disappeared in a flash of lip-plates twisting into a dark look aiming to hurt the medic "What do you mean be calm? Says you who has that stash of High grade and drowns his sorrows every time before he goes into recharge!"

"Well at least I don't flit around the shuttle like a moping shadow!" the CMO growled back "unless you are dying get out Jazz."

The TIC gave the medic a tired look and walked out the door leaving the older bot in the silence of the light flooded medbay, the roar of the ships engines sending a faint vibration through the berth "I miss you 'Jack. I'm falling apart"

_**-Ironhide-**_

The swift succession of punches and kicks sent the drone flying across the training room. It landed with a loud crash of metal followed by the circuitry, screw and bolts that had fallen loose that pinged and scattered about the training drones frame.

Sideswipe growled as another slid out of the wall unleashing his twin blades and flowing into an attack stance.

Ironhide watched from the sidelines his face kept neutral as he watched the young bot attack with fervour that was usually reserved for the silver swordsmech's twin.

"_They aren't getting any better Optimus"_ he sent down a private link to the Commander sitting in his office a few doors down _"Ratchet is moping in the Medbay and Jazz… well he disappears for nearly an orn at a time, and we are in the middle of slagging Space for Primus' sake" _

"_I know…" _The commander replied back with a tortured sigh _"The sooner we find the Allspark, the sooner this mess can be fixed and we can _restore_ Cybertron." _

"_I just hope it happens before Jazz, Sides and Ratchet go off the Deep end"_ the black mech replied giving a disapproving hum as Sideswipe slashed the drone in half and in half again with a pained yell of frustration.

"_As do I my friend" _

**_-Sideswipe-_**

Sideswipe sighed sheathing his swords and going over to the destroyed drone and flopping onto his aft by the destroyed piece of machinery. He grabbed a modified screwdriver out of his sub-space, holding it between his lip-plates as he pulled the carcass of the drone towards him, sparking circuitry and loose screws draggin behind it.

"I can fix you" Sideswipe said to himself as he began to use the laser setting on his screwdriver to weld wires together "I can fix you" he chanted to himself softly, spying Ironhide out fo the corner of his optic "Sunny said I couldn't fix a broken drone if my life depended on it" he said a little louder "I'm about to prove him wrong."

"Thing is kid, your life doesn't depend on repairing it" Ironhide said walking onto the training pitch "There are still about seven others you haven't trashed yet. And the maintenance drones can repair them easily in a day."

"But I want to prove Sunny wrong" Sideswipe said firmly "So when he wakes up I can tell him I was doing stuff instead of sitting on my aft and 'grieving' for him"

"You two haven't ever been apart from your twin Sideswipe" Ironhide said as the swordsmech went back to his repairs "and with your bond with him blocked, it wouldn't be surprising to anyone if you grieved for a while. I mean look at Jazz and Ratchet."

"Precisely" Sideswipe replied with a shiver "They look hollow 'hide. I think it's killing them. I don't want to end up like that. I want to just forget, for ten breems or maybe a joor while I fix this drone. I just want to make the silence stop"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer:I don't own Transformers!

Please R&R!

(Sorry it took so long! enjoy!)

* * *

Bumblebee had been chosen as the scout.

Jazz wouldn't deny that it hurt a little to be over looked for the mission to search for the Allspark, he was the Head of Special Operations for pits sake. After Ratchet also voiced his concern at sending the last of the younglings to Earth, Jazz began to see why he had been replaced for the mission.

He had caught Ironhide staring with pity at Ratchet when the medic had loudly and clearly demanded an explanation. He caught the same look directed at him from Optimus if he looked hard enough.

"You don't think I'm sane do you?" he accused in the quiet of the meeting room after the others had filed out, though Ratchet had more stormed out at the final decision, Ironhide tailing him with a worried frown.

"What makes you declare that Jazz?" Optimus asked neutrally.

"I'm the Head of Special Operations, your TIC…" Jazz started only to be sharply reminded that he had been hastily promoted into Prowl's position after the explosion "…SIC, why don't you think I'm qualified for this?"

"Jazz, Bumblebee needs this mission in order to grow as a soldier" Optimus rumbled as the smaller silver bot flared his armour in clear distress. "I am not replacing you because your bondmate is incapacitated. I am concerned; you have become very distant as of late."

"I'm not denying Bumblebee the chance to develop" Jazz replied softly "I feel you are holding me back because you think I'm going to do something reckless"

"And you would be partially correct" the descendant of the first Thirteen said resting his helm on his laced fingers, his elbow joints leaning on the conference table. "Jazz, you are worried for Prowl"

The saboteur gave a dark bark of half insane laughter "What makes you think that Prime? One of the mechs who has stood by you since the fall of Praxus, the mech I love and am bonded to is currently sitting in space nearly a thousand vorns in the opposite direction, with enough injuries he makes Bumblebee's damaged vocaliser look like a scratch! You tell me Prime, why shouldn't I be worried?" Jazz's voice had risen to a near shout at the end, his leader watching him carefully and neutrally, knowing the risks he was taking prodding the saboteur like this.

"Jazz, this is why I have you on the team with myself, Ratchet and Ironhide" Optimus said his sad blue gaze locking with Jazz's bright optics "You cannot be this emotional while on this mission, we need to retrieve the Allspark and I will not put you or any member of this crew in danger because you cannot cope with separation from your bondmate."

Jazz's visor flipped down, the black Cybertronian glass covering and shielding sky blue optics filled with hurt. "As you order… I'll be going… sir" the silver bot stood and gave a formal bow before stalking from the room, quickly disappearing into the shadows of the corridor leaving a weary and sad friend behind in the Meeting Room.

_**-Training Room-**_

Sideswipe didn't make the cut for the first team descending to Earth. He offered Ironhide a sour look when the old black mech told him

"So you and Prime are taking Jazz and Ratch' so you can keep an optic on them is that it?" he enquired with a frown "What about me?"

"You are holding up way better than they are kid" the gruff old bot said "I'm not saying you are any less important, Sideswipe but you and Sunstreaker have had your bond blocked before for that undercover mission in Kaon. You are treating it like that. Jazz and Ratchet have never been separated from their mates since bonding. That is causing them to behave like they are now."

"Don't remind me" Sideswipe said shaking his helm as he polished one of his wrist blades "I still haven't got over Ratchet acting calm all of a sudden and Jazz, lurks around in shady areas watching life go by. Sunny and I have blocked each other when we have been having arguments as well. I'm not saying it doesn't hurt, it does. But it scares me to think if Sunny and I had never blocked each other… I'd be like them…"

The silver swordsmech looked away out of the training room porthole at the colourful space dust that swirled and danced by "Soon Sunny" Sideswipe said softly as Ironhide left the silver twin alone with his swords and scrubbing away at non-existent dirt on the flat of the blades "I'll be seeing you soon"

_**-A few years later-**_

Ratchet stood frowning as he watched Jolt do a minor repair to Skids' arm, the result of the minor Twins having a scuffle over who got to use the shooting range first, regardless of the fact that there were several shooting booths.

"Good" he commented checking over the junior medic's shoulder as Skids shuffled a little away towards his waiting brother "Now check over the text on repairing chest plates and you are done for the orn."

"Thanks Ratchet" the trainee smiled cheerfully practically strutting like a proud peacock to the main office to continue studying the text that Ratchet had offered him. The Twin's scampered out several minutes later after a scarily patient lecture by the usually volatile CMO.

The Medbay reflected the silence, not a gear or joint moved. No sound… a vacuum within the vacuum of space that the ARK floated through towards a small planet that possibly held the key to saving their world.

"Well that has to be the scariest lecture you've ever given Ratch'" a soft familiar voice whispered into his audio

"Blown something up again have we 'Jack?" he murmured back feeling fingers link over his abdominal plating and a familiar weight resting on his shoulder

"No, I just came to see my favourite medic" the engineer replied, the faint glow of his helm fins casting shadows and reflections on Ratchet's plating. A heavy sigh. "You're hallucinating Ratch'"

"I don't care" the medic replied resting his own servos on the clasped ones encircling him "You feel real"

"You need to go back to reality Ratch'" Wheeljack muttered his intakes brushing atmosphere against the slightly taller mechs back. "I'll be along soon" the engineer sighed, metal shyly ghosting over Ratchet's back as the explosion prone mech shifted.

"No" the medic said his servos gripping the fingers at his abdomen tightly "Stay."

"I'll be along soon" Wheeljack whispered his helms weight on the CMO's shoulder gradually disappearing, Ratchet's hands slipping through clasped fingers "Watch the sky for me"

"Wheeljack?" he floundered as the feelings disappeared, the vacuum popping as Ironhide stomped into the Medbay holding an irate Jazz by the elbow joint

"No, Ironhide" the black mech grumbled shoving the silver saboteur forward "he needs checked over before we go. Bumblebee's beacon has been lit."

_**-Battle for the Allspark— Jazz's POV-**_

Jazz roared towards Demolisher, shifting gears as fast as he was able, weaving in and out of running humans and debris from shattered buildings. His mind flashed back to the base in Iacon, and Prowl's last message to him, as he leapt transforming in midair and with a growl he grabbed the cannon and tugged to the left "Come on, Decepticon punk!" he taunted as the mech underneath him transformed. He kicked sharply at the rocket launchers on Demolisher's shoulder managing to disconnect them from the mech's shoulder. Demolisher roared and grabbed his ankle tossing him overhead and into a building, scattering the humans and destroying mortar and brick.

His optics flickered off and on as he recalibrated his equilibrium chip and reset his optics from the blow to his head that was received by falling chunks of building. He groaned managing to roll up onto his pedes as the human military took on Demolisher spying Ratchet a few hundred feet away, the medic to concentrated on trying to find Bumblebee to see the large silver behemoth that was Megatron transform and land behind him.

"Look out!" he cried running forward, his arm already changing into the shield cannon and skidding to a stop on his knee joint just beyond a surprised Ratchet and firing a magnetic pulse at its highest setting "It's Megatron! Fall back!"

Megatron let loose his own cannon blast setting the ground alight with explosive fire and sending chunks of road flying and tossing Jazz from his pedes as Ratchet heeded his order and ran to help Ironhide. Jazz hit the road with a grunt and squeal of metal scraping the road, slightly dazed.

Megatron rumbled dangerously grabbing Jazz by his torso and taking to the air with an enraged roar of his thrusters.

Jazz, still stunned from the blast hung limply as the air rushed past his helm as he was torn from the centre of the battle.

Suddenly a flicker of awareness, a curious prod from the silent end of his precious bond, a small ember of familiar light shining out of the darkness, the Bond Block muting the sensitive feeling that were normally so easy to pick up.

_Prowl!_ He cried out as a feint warm burst of love trickled into his frame

_Where are you, my Jazz?_ Prowl asked softly, tenderly almost as if he was still half in recharge, as the small silver mech was tossed into the top of a building, Megatron landing heavily on him as he began to violently struggle in panic.

_Prowler, please babe, please go back to sleep_ he returned even as he shouted at the Decepticon leader "Wanna piece of me? You wanna piece?"

"No" growled the destroyer of his dreams as large servos gripped his arms and his pelvis "I want two!"

Pain. Pressure. All focused around his abdomen as he tried again to elude the monsters grip, even as he turned his mind inwards towards that mental wall between him and his awakening mate _Hush, my love._ He cooed even as he felt wires and vital energon lines snap, diverting his pain away from the growing presence behind the wall that only allowed vital thoughts through. _Sleep for me_

_Don't want to_ Prowl replied his consciousness prodding more urgently as Jazz felt himself fading, the bond beginning to fail _Jazz? What's wrong? Jazz!_

_Sleep Prowler_ he urged again even as his body finally tore in half to hang dripping with energon and fluids from Megatron's servos, the silver destroyer of his dreams tossing his halves separate ways like discarded toys. The half that held his spark crashed against the tarmac splattering fluids and energon as his processor began to shut down, the last sight of his optics was the spewing of fire from Megatron's thrusters as he and Prime began their clash soaring over his discarded body. _Can you sleep for me?_

Prowl sleepily gave a soft nudge of love and spark breaking trust, it washed over the saboteurs fading spark even as Ratchet skidded to a halt beside the TIC's silver frame shouting at the TIC for being a glitch and a slagging idiot for taking on Megatron by himself. _I'll see you soon Jazz_ Prowl said as Jazz's end of the bond guttered and flickered like a dying flame.

Jazz gave a small smile and sent his love for the Praxian right back and decided to ease his love back into the darkness of dreams with a soft song and a small lie _Of course Prowler, I'll be waiting for you_

The form of his lover appeared before him in his processor, his sleek lines and elegant doorwings flared proudly and a white light began to glow brighter as Prowl dissolved in light pedes upwards, his golden optics hurt and sad, cleanser fluid leaking a river down a carved faceplate and dripping in soft shining drops to the dark floor that was rapidly becoming white light, a slightly clawed servo reaching for him.

"Don't cry" Jazz said out loud startling Ratchet and a hovering Ironhide "Please don't cry Prowl"

"Jazz!" Ratchet called as he frantically sealed off leaking energon lines and sparking wires "Don't you dare die you slagger! Prowl is waiting for you! Ironhide! Keep him awake!"

"Come on Jazz" the rumbled tones of the black mech "Don't give up now"

"Frag it! I'm losing him!" came Ratchet's voice again as the light moved, like a wave towards him. Jazz wanted to run as the light grew towering above him as Prowl finally disappeared and their treasured bond snapped like a taunt frayed rope, the backlash sending his thoughts into turmoil of pain and anguish.

"Goodbye Prowl" he whispered as the light crashed down upon him, wiping away his pain, his regret and his thoughts of a Praxian mech whose optics glowed bright gold in renewed agony in an ICU pod thousands of light years away. "Sweet dreams my love"


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers

Please R&R

(Last chapter. I can't really do happy endings but I hope I done it okay. Thanks to anybody who has read, reviewed and/or faved! enjoy!)

* * *

_**-Prowl's POV-**_

When his optics booted up, the blue glow of the watery surroundings were tinged with frantic red of the emergency light rotating and reflecting on the wall, presumably there were alarms going off as well somewhere too. The gold light from his optics added to the light show, twin beams of amber sweeping over bubbles in the pod and casting his reflection back at him on the glass. A mech three quarters repaired, stared back at him through the fog of bubbles that rose from the bottom of the tank in the lukewarm liquid.

Pain radiated in his chest, cold, burning like liquid nitrogen poured over his spark, Jazz was gone. The spot in his spark where Jazz is… was, was hollow, stolen out of his spark like someone had taken a scaling scalpel and had carved it out of his chest. He groaned, bubbles of cybertronian atmosphere escaping into the clear, viscous liquid, he felt the repair drones crawling over his frame, small legs tickling at wiring and secreting liquid metal that was repairing his doorwings millimetre by millimetre.

He watched as two mechs rushed into the room, one pausing as they locked optics, gold on young sky blue before the mech mouthed a violent curse, rushing towards the data screens.

The other was checking the two pods on either side of him, tapping on the green screens that were flooded with data and schematics. The screen in front of his own pod was pulsing a vibrant red, like the optics of the Decepticons, the bonds around his wrists, ankles and torso tightened as the repair bots fell away from his frame to cluster at the sides of the pod. The medic was furiously typing at the screen before him as he gave a fitful lurch towards the glass, slamming into it with a roar similar to that of a mortally wounded animal.

The glass cracked, a thin spider web of tiny cracks spiralling from where his shoulder had hit the thick glass

"Prowl!" a mouth plate moved, the medic waving his hands frantically "No!"

One of the bonds holding him grounded while he floated in the ICU pod snapped, his wrist coming free to clatter against the glass, slight claws that tipped his fingers making shallow grooves in the plasma blaster proof glass. "Sedate him!" the other medic shrilled moving from the two green screens to watch over the obviously more experienced medic's shoulder.

"Something is wrong" First Aid, that was the medic's name, an apprentice of Ratchet's, replied still flicking through the warning data that the various wires and bonds were picking up. "His spark has fluctuated, it's pulse is destabilising something must have happened to Jazz."

Jazz, where was Jazz? Prowl thought calming for the moment even as another wrist bind slithered from the side of the pod and snaked its way around his wrist plating again, tugging his arm back into place, he flinched back into the padding of the pod behind him as he felt the cold gaping depth that Jazz had left. Jazz… you left me… You've left me alone…

"Sedate him then" he heard First Aid reply as the repair drones came back to his plating to begin their work again. "I want someone in here monitoring this for the rest of the journey, for Primus' sake don't let him wake up, he could do more damage to himself like that! We need to get him to Ratchet"

_**-Ratchet's POV-**_

Ratchet was finishing welding Jazz back together when he heard the news.

"Ratchet!" Sideswipe burst into the Medbay startling the human engineers of the NEST programme that were helping and observing the repairs "It's the Axilion! It's coming into the solar system!"

His hand froze, the welder guttering out as it almost fell from his lax fingers "What?"

"We just got word from Slingshot" Sideswipe beamed, the first real smile since he had been forced to leave his twin on the Axilion all those vorns ago before they had left Cybertron to search for the Allspark. "They will be here in a few days!"

Ratchet let a smile bloom across his face plate, feeling giddy like he had just drunk some high grade that was burning in his tank; he set down the welder and allowed himself to indulge in the joy that came from his depressed spark. He had forgotten it could twirl like this, like he was soaring like a seeker on its first flight.

Then he looked down at his patient, his mood darkened and crashed landed, like most first time fliers did. "Did Prowl survive the bond breaking?" he asked ignoring the humans that gave him bewildered looks at his question

"As far as we know" Sideswipe nodded quickly nearly bouncing on his tyres in sudden agitation "How long until Jazz is up and running around like a youngling again?"

"This afternoon if I can get you to stop bothering me" Ratchet snapped picking up his welder again "And if the AllSpark fragment is feeling kind"

"It'll bring him back" Mikaela said taking notes from her perch on one of the spark support machines as Ratchet flared up the welder and got back to work, Sideswipe bouncing from the room still on a high. "Just you wait"

_**-Normal POV-**_

The pods of the injured mechs were unloaded and shot into the Earth's atmosphere first, casting three streaking trails of fire across the sky as the armoured pods homed in on the landing beacon. One crashed through a rock formation in the desert beyond the base, tossing end over end in the air, sending shards of rock skittering into the darkness as it thudded into the sandy earth, a fountain of grit and sand spewing from the crater, the grains of dried earth hissing and popping upon the super heated surface of the enclosed pod.

The second landed at the back of the soldier's barracks, decorative foliage bursting into flames, water bubbling and scaling as the pod remained half submerged in the pool.

The third and final made a meteorite landing, impacting the ground at a vertical angle in the tarmac of the runway before rolling with a titanic groan of metal onto its side.

Once retrieved by the excited Bumblebee and Ironhide, the pods were arranged in a row with no great ceremony in the hanger, Ratchet finding the panel of the first and activating the pod. The top half of the ICU pod hissed, steam releasing in great exhaling puffs as metal doors shielding the patient inside rose a fraction and began to fold back. Sideswipe rushed over practically knocking Ratchet over as his twin was revealed.

The lighting in the pod shone a vibrant blue highlighting the stasis locked form of the gold swordsmech, the carcasses of the finished repair drones lining the walls of the tank. "Sunny" Sideswipe whispered tracing fingers over his brothers repaired face, admiring the gold frame that was completely healed. "You're home Sunny… I'm here…"

"Shove over" Ratchet snapped as Optimus and the rest watched the sky respectfully allowing the two to fuss over the mechs returned to them, several other transformers descending from space casting fiery light across the clear night sky, obscuring the moon in a blazing formation. "Time to wake up Sunstreaker"

The release button flickered onto the screen earning him a surprised and ecstatic look from the silver twin. "He's all healed" Ratchet explained as he typed in the over-ride.

The pod groaned, the glass of the pod sliding away into the left of the machine. The liquid that had contained Sunstreaker all those vorns in space burst, spewing out of the tank onto the floor, like the bursting of an amniotic sac, dribbling down the draining system Ratchet had made sure that the pods were near.

Bonds slithered away back into slots as the wet mech inside was released. "Booting up" Ratchet smiled watching with pride as blue optics filled with sapphire light for the first time in nearly a millennia "Sides?" the golden mech rumbled servos clenching as his head flickered from side to side

"Sunny" Sideswipe approached peering into the pod over his brother as the rest of the group gathered around "It's good to see you again bro" he whispered his vocaliser hissing with joyful static, Sideswipe was sure if he could cry he would be doing so.

The grumpy gold twin smiled still looking a bit disorientated "Good to see you too Sides, and stop calling me that"

"Never" the silver swordsmech declared rushing forward and enveloping his twin in a hug, even if his twin was still covered in that buffer liquid from the ICU pod.

_**-Sideswipe's POV-**_

His twin was back.

Sideswipe gripped his brother's hand as Ratchet went about revealing the mech in the second pod, his brother leaned on him heavily as he helped him stand on his own two pedes again, his golden counterpart grumbling already about the mess that he was in and demanding directions to the nearest wash-rack. Almost as soon as he had seen Sunny's optics light up he tore down the Bond Block, relishing in the warmth and general safety of his brothers spark as it re-linked with his own.

_Missed you Sunny_ he murmured along the sibling bond as Ironhide helped him sit his twin down in the Rec-Room just beyond the hanger

_And I you Bro, thanks… for saving me _Sunstreaker replied casting a warm affectionate pulse across a bond, Sideswipe had longed for since that fateful explosion. "Where's Wheeljack and Prowl?"

_I'd do it again_ Sideswipe said his servo clasped tightly against his brothers, fingers interlacing, silver meshing with gold _I'm never going to be parted from you again Sunny_

"Still in the pods" Jolt offered from where he was standing at the Rec-Room doors watching Optimus and the rest of the group head towards a mass of craters a few miles away. "Ratchet is working on getting them out now"

His Twin was back. He felt the darkness flee from his sibling bond's light, like the clearing of cobwebs from a darkened corner. His Twin was back; his spark felt complete, the madness was gradually receding. His twin was back. And he had never felt happier.

_**-Wheeljack's POV-**_

Wheeljack gave a soft groan as he shook off the wet junk that clung to his frame "Two more minutes Ratchet" he grumbled, keeping his optics off, shuffling onto his side and curling up

"Two minutes?" Ratchet practically shrieked near his head and sensitive audio "You've been offline for nearly a million Stellar Cycles and you ask for two more minutes?"

"Ouchie" the engineer whined as he felt his bondmate grip one of his colour indicators and drag him up into a sitting position and practically mashing their lip plates together. His ocean grey optics flared into life in surprise as Ratchet finally drew back leaving Wheeljack to gawk at his bondmate "Wha?"

"Don't ever do that again" Ratchet growled enveloping him in a fierce hug, helm tucking into his neck cabling "Don't leave me again…"

"Ratchet" Wheeljack rumbled softly his mate shivering at the vibrations that ran through the engineer's wet chest plates, the spark beneath throbbing in concern as it sought to feel Ratchet's consciousness through their blocked bond, confirming that the explosion prone mech was indeed alive.

The bond suddenly slammed open, feelings of _scared, love, hurt, sorrow, hope, devotion _flooded into Wheeljack making him shudder and give a sharp intake of the new atmosphere "Ratch'"

"Just don't" the medic replied helping his long awaited bondmate stand up on shaky legs "Come on"

"Wheeljack!" Sunstreaker greeted his helm bowed in friendly greeting as the engineer was put beside him "How come you can walk better than me?"

"I've blown myself up heaps of times, just not that badly before" the engineer said his colour indicators lighting up with a cheery yellow light "I've got several millennia on you Sunny"

"Well remind me to stay well away from exploding stuff from now on" Sunstreaker grumbled rattling his armour to get rid of the gelatinous liquid that still clung to his frame "Can we get cleaned up now?"

Ratchet chuckled, his fingers never straying far from Wheeljack's shoulder or arm as if he needed the contact, needed to touch to believe that his mate was on the physical plane. "Come on then"

"Wait what about Prowl?" Wheeljack asked looking about him before his optics dimmed and his helm tilted "He did survive the explosion didn't he?"

"Yeah… but we need to do something first" Ratchet said guiding Wheeljack into one of the stalls in the wash racks "Now come here, you've got some of that stasis gunk in your joints"

"It's a little public to be trying to pick me up isn't it?" Wheeljack half leered earning himself a sarcastic glare

"Optics on the wall while I do this, no interfacing until you and Sunny get a complete check up after this in my Medbay" Ratchet snorted as he began to clean his mate, sending pulses of love, affection and latching onto the returning reassurances as Wheeljack snickered.

_**-Jazz's POV-**_

It was bright, so optic blindingly bright.

Who was he?

**Jazz…**

That was his name right? He didn't have a body but he was suddenly assaulted by the image of a compact silver frame with a black visor shielding blue optics. His spark glittered in remembrance a ghostly image cast around him of his old body.

**Come back to me… My Jazz…**

That voice… it was familiar, a soft baritone that he had admired since he had been arrested back on Cybertron nearly 11 million years ago, when he had been participating in illegal racing. A voice that drew the image of a Praxian framed mech, smooth black and white plating with gold optics crowned with a fiery red chevron.

**Time to wake up Jazz…**

There was a draining sensation, like water rushing down the drain, darkness flushing through the white light that he was suspended in. He felt weighed down; he tried clenching his fingers and received a soft twitch of his digits in return.

**Online your optics Jazz… **

He obeyed the voice, Prowl, his processor supplied, his bondmate… his injured bondmate that shouldn't be awake, should be sleeping peacefully as he was taken into the Well of All Sparks. His blue optics brightened, staring up into a white light hanging from an unfamiliar silver ceiling.

Someone was leaning over him, familiar black and white plating helm crowned by a red chevron, a smile on a perfectly crafted face plate, amber/gold optics staring down at him with fond adoration.

"Welcome back" Ratcher's gruff tones said from his other side as he kept his gaze on the Praxian that had called him back. "Gave me a run for my credits Jazz. Just next time don't go running into battle without back up."

"Will do Ratch'" he croaked managing to lift a trembling servo that was clasped in two others and held to a cheek plate

"Hello Jazz" Prowl hummed with a smile leaning down to gift a gentle kiss on his lip plates.

"Prowler" he replied trying to feel through their bond, repaired through his rekindling by the Allspark fragment, and feeling Prowl's ready love and calmness pulsing back into his tormented and whirlwind like thoughts and emotions. "You're alright"

"My dreams were bittersweet" Prowl said softly touching their forehelms together "But now they are peaceful"

"Well that was cheesy" snorted a voice from just beyond the berth, ruining their moment.

Jazz let his helm fall towards the voice and smiled broadly when he saw Sunstreaker and Wheeljack sitting on their respective berths. "Hey guys"

"You are so going in the brig" Prowl said looking up and over him glaring at Sunstreaker who had his brother sleeping across his legs.

"Ha! you got nothing on me Cop- Bot!" the front liner snorted back

"Ratchet what have I told you about drinking High Grade in the morning?" Wheeljack chided, a familiar almost forgotten argument that warmed Jazz's spark to see once more. Ratchet ignored his bondmate sticking out his glossa and taking a liberal swig of the earth brewed High Grade.

The Medbay doors hissed open admitting a familiar flame decorated mech, all three injured bots snapping off a respectful salute

"Autobots Sunstreaker, Wheeljack and Prowl, ready for duty sir!"


End file.
